US political strategy firm used widely by Tory MPs, but not always cited in Elections Canada reports

Four of the 14 Conservative MPs who hired US political strategists in the 2011 election do not list the voter contact firm on their Elections Canada expense reports, the Vancouver Observer has learned.

Last week, the Republican-tied company admitted to the Vancouver Observer that its top American staff campaigned directly in several Ontario ridings last year, knocking on doors and phoning constituents, seemingly in violation of election laws. While 10 different Tory candidates reported using the firm, its four remaining clients did not identify the expense.

Columbus, Ohio-based Front Porch Strategies boasts extensive links to the U.S. Republican Party, with principal partners having worked for over a decade on campaigns in both Canada and the States—including that of former President George W. Bush.

"Our passion is helping Republican candidates, elected officials, and conservative causes win by personally connecting them with voters and constituents," reads the company's website.

Front Porch Strategies' Canadian campaigns include Nipissing-Timiskaming, Ont., which is currently under investigation by Elections Canada following complaints of misleading phone calls redirecting voters to false polling stations. Conservative candidate Jay Aspin won by only 18 votes (the only other voter contact firm hired there, according to expense reports, was Alberta Blue Strategies).

The firm – which offers teleforum and robocalling services – came to prominence last month when media revealed that 14 Tory campaigns used U.S.-based Front Porch Strategies.

The company boasts on its website that all of their Canadian campaigns were successful, but told the Vancouver Observer that it only offered teleforums, not robocalling. Until now, only a few of the ridings were publicly known.

The Vancouver Observer scoured Elections Canada databases and found 10 of those 14 ridings which paid the company during the 2011 election. In the other four ridings, however, Front Porch Strategies did not appear in candidate expense reports.

Here are the candidates known to have employed the firm, followed by the date and amount spent:

Reached earlier by phone, the company's Canadian liaison, Jim Ross, said he could not comment further about the missing four Front Porch ridings.

However, it is considered standard industry practice for contractors to protect their client lists, according to a source familiar with election campaigns.

As for why four election candidates evidently did not provide Front Porch Strategies receipts in their Elections Canada expense reports, the source suggested that it is normal for Electoral District Associations (EDA) – from all parties – to make expenditures, for instance before the election writ drops.

Elections Canada said that EDAs must report election-related expenses and transfers in their year-end reports, which are forthcoming in May.

British Columbia Premier Christy Clark said Tuesday that a controversial provision in Bill 20 is meant to create “a level playing field” for all the political parties. Her comments come on the heels...